To characterize the SR Ca-release channel protein complex of crustacean, 45Ca-release, [3H]ryanodine binding, and immunoblot studies were carried out in the crayfish and/or lobster skeletal sarcoplasmic reticulum. Bmax and affinity of crayfish SR to ryanodine were lower than those of lobster SR. AMP (5mM) increased [3H]ryanodine binding significantly in both vesicles (P<0.05). Mg2+(5mM) or tetracaine(1mM) inhibited [3H]ryanodine binding significantly in both vesicles (P<0.001), but ruthenium red (10μM) inhibited it moderately. In SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoretic analysis of crayfish SR vesicles, there was a high molecular weight band that showed similar mobility with Ca-release channel protein of lobster skeletal SR, but more rapid mobility (HMWBr) than that of rabbit skeletal SR (HMWBS). Immunoblot analysis showed that polyclonal Ab to lobster skeletal SR Ca-release channel protein was react with HMWBr of crayfish skeletal SR, but not with that of HMWBs of rabbit skeletal SR. 45Ca-release from crayfish skeletal SR vesicles was increased by the increase of extravesicular calcium from 1μM to 1mM. This Ca-release phenomenon was similar, but more sensitive in the low concentration of Ca2+, compared to that from lobster SR vesicles. AMP (5mM) or caffeine (10mM) did not affect to 45Ca-release. 45Ca-release was inhibited slightly (3 ~ 8% by Mg2+) (5mM) or tetracaine (1mM), and moderately (23%) by high concentration of ruthenium red (300μM). From the above results, it is suggested that SR Ca-release channel protein of crustacean has different properties from that of the rabbit, and similar properties between crayfish and lobster in functional and immunological aspects, but Ca-release via crayfish channel may be more sensitive to calcium.